This invention relates to a book delivery device for a book binding machine.
In a conventional book binding machine, a number of clamps are successively moved on a book production line. And each of clamps is adapted for movement between a first position in which it clampingly holds a book block and a second position in which it releases the book block from clamping. While the clamps clampingly holding the book blocks are travelling on the book production line, the book blocks are applied with covers at glued spines thereof, then the spines are pressed, and finally when the clamps reach a book delivery station, the clamps move from the first position to the second position so that the book blocks are fallen from the clamps. Thus there is provided a book delivery device for receiving the book blocks fallen from the clamps and transporting it to the next processing station.
At this time, it is necessary to receive the book blocks from the clamps without giving strong impulse to the book blocks because, immediately after glue is applied to the spine, an adhesion between the spine and the cover is not perfect so that the cover may be detached from the spine. Therefore there has been provided a conveyor belt easily sloping downward from the book delivery station so as to receive the book blocks fallen from the clamps. Then the book blocks are transported from the clamps to the conveyor and slowly conveyed by the conveyor belt.
However, this book delivery mechanism inevitably leads to a large-sized book binding machine because there is required space whose length corresponds to a few clamps in order to deliver the book blocks.